Iggy's Game
by Blawwmkw
Summary: Iggy proposes a game for the whole flock, but what happens when it all goes wrong?


**Hello all! This is for Skye Maxwell's contest on max-dan-wiz. Randomness? Yes. Not my best? Yes. Did I write it mainly in one day and stay up later than I should have working on it? Yes. Enjoy.**

_Max POV_

"The Gasman and I propose a challenge."

I look up from my dinner at Iggy. He had set his fork down and his face was serious. Gazzy, sitting next to him, seemed to be trying hard to keep his face set as well.

I sigh. "What's up, guys?"

I was pretty sure that it was nothing important. We had been keeping a low profile for nearly a month now, staying in an abandoned cabin up away from people in a forest. Judging by the orange and red leaves everywhere, it was probably autumn, but besides that I couldn't even guess the date. We were so relaxed out here that it almost scared me. No sign of anyone wanting to kill us for months on end was a very good thing in my eyes, but although it felt good to not have to worry every second of the day, I found myself almost getting bored with the monotony of day after day of nothingness.

Iggy leans forward, pausing dramatically enough to draw the flock's attention away from dinner- spaghetti and meatballs that Iggy himself had made.

With all this lack of action," Iggy begins, "you know, no fighting or escaping or flying for our lives. Well, the Gasman and I decided that we need something exciting, something to get us thinking and moving again."

The flock exchanges glances. "Sounds cool," says Nudge. "What did you have in mind?"  
"It's a competition," explains Iggy. "A game. It will take place out in the woods…"

_Nudge POV_

Seven o'clock. In the morning. It takes a lot of persistence to get me up at this time, but Gazzy and Iggy had just managed it.

I yawn, glancing at my pink wristwatch. Five more minutes until seven-thirty, the "official beginning of the game" to quote Iggy.

The flock is grouped outside the cabin. Max leans against the wall of our current house, Fang beside her. Angel sits on the porch swing, slowly swaying back and forth, Total in her lap. Iggy and the Gasman are next to each other, rechecking their packs.

I walk over as Gazzy attempts to shove a paper-towel-wrapped something into the tiny remaining space in his bag.

"Gazzy, what is that?" I ask.

"A sandwich," he grunts, and then he sighs and proceeds to unpack his entire bag.

I watch with a raised eyebrow as Gazzy empties the contents of his bag- two water bottles, a jacket, what suspiciously look like two bombs, and countless more of the little wrapped sandwiches.

"Uh, Gasman?" asks Iggy. I watch him counting each sandwich as Gazzy sets them down, every individual snack making a soft 'plmf' sound as it hits the ground. "How many are you bringing?"

"I dunno," responds Gazzy. "About…thirty?"

"What are you going to do with thirty sandwiches?" I exclaim.

"I don't know…eat them?"

"Hey Ig," calls Fang. "Seven twenty-eight."

"Alright," he replies. "Wake up, everyone." Angel's head shoots up- looks like she'd almost fallen asleep again. Max also looked up, blinking wearily.

"Okay," says Iggy, and the flock gathers around him. We all have packs, except for Total, who has opted out of the game. Iggy holds a manila envelope and a handful of what look like traditional capture the flag belts.

"I'm going to go over the rules once more," says Iggy. "I'm going to hand out these sheets of paper, your target person card. Each has a flock member's name on it. That's the person who you have to tag, your target person. You tag by pulling off the person's belt." He gestures to the belts in his hand, and then passes them out to each of us. I clip mine on and everyone else does the same. "Remember, if your belt is off, you're disqualified. When you tag someone, they are out, and must give their target person card to you. When we begin, we've got to spread out. I'll set of a bomb to let you know when to begin." I see Max frown at this part of the plan, but she keeps her mouth shut.

"Then your job is to find and remove the belt of your target. You can team up, but remember, you never know who's trying to get you."

"Ooh, spooky," mutters Fang.

Iggy ignores him. "Once you're out you must return to the cabin, but you can't come back while you're in the game, otherwise you're disqualified. Total will make sure of that." Total nods.

"And you can fight, guys," adds Max, "but not too rough. Don't kill anyone."

We all roll our eyes. Fighting sounds like the fun part!

"It's seven-thirty," puts in Fang.

"Okay," responds Iggy. "Everyone get ready to go. You can come one by one around the side of the house with me and I'll give you your target person card."

He walks around the corner of the cabin, calling, "Angel!"

As Angel walks away I grin. Iggy is really getting into this game. I was just going along to humor him, as I knew were Max and Fang. But who knew? This could actually turn out to be fun.

_Iggy POV_

"This is the person who you must tag. Remember the rules, and good luck."

I finish the same script that I had said to each member or the flock for the last time and hand Fang the second-to-last card in my hand.

He grabs it. "Thanks, Ig." I hear the hint of sarcasm in his voice but ignore it. I know that most of the flock isn't very into this, but I'm excited. They'll see- this is going to be a game to remember.

I hear Fang unfurl his wings and take off. I listen until the sound of his flight fads, and then I walk back to the front of the cabin, empty folder and final card in my hand.

I set them down and pick up my freshly-made bomb that had been sitting on the corner of the porch. As I make my way to the center of the clearing, Total calls from the front door, "Are you sure that thing's safe?"

"Totally," I reply. "It's more of a noise-maker than anything else."

"Sure," replies Total. "Are you and Gazzy using any bombs during this thing?"

I smile. "We might have a few up our sleeves. For distraction purposes only, of course."

"Your sure you guys won't kill anyone?"

"Total, relax. We have plenty of experience."

Without further ado I set off the bomb and jog lightly back to the porch. "Three, two-"

BOOM!

It's amazing how quiet a forest gets after an explosion like that. With my sensitive ears, I'm used to the cacophony of noises created by squirrels and birds and rustling leaves that people usually don't notice. The bomb almost acted like a big OFF button for a second, but then a bird started singing and the noise started up again.

"Oh," says Total, who had walked up next to me. "You were right. More noise than anything."

"Well, see you later then, I guess," I say, grabbing my pack and the name card.

"I'll try not to get too lonely." He sighs dramatically.

I snort. Total was surely nothing less than ecstatic about the empty house- he had the T.V. all to himself.

Before taking off I examine the card I'd had Gazzy write the names with a pen, telling him to press down hard on the paper. It had worked- the letters were indented in the paper, making it easy for my fingers to spell out what my eyes could not.

N-U-D-G-E.

I have Nudge. This was going to be great. I spread my wings, turning my head skyward, and leap.

The game is on.

_Gazzy POV_

_Where is everyone?_

I trudge through the forest on foot, not wanting to be easily spotted from the air. I don't really have a plan- just find someone and grab their flag?

It was amazing how quiet everything is. I had thought that I would have run into someone by now- Iggy had only granted us a circular area about a mile and a half wide.

I sigh and continue trekking along. Something was bound to happen _eventually._

_Fang POV_

"There she is."

I am up in a very tall tree overlooking the pond, completely invisible. Huh. Hardly twenty minutes into the game and I've already found my target. I sort of feel bad for her.

Angel sits by the edge of the pond, her head close to the water. I lean forward slightly, just barely moving the branches, trying to listen.

"..me and all my friends, we're all misunderstood. You see, we come from this place called the School…"

Is she- is she _really_ talking to fish? Doesn't she have something more important to do, such as, um, tag her person?

"Hold on," says Angel suddenly. She stands up slowly. "Fang? Are those your thoughts I hear?"

Shoot. It's now or never.

I dive, swooping from the tree, my wings just missing the branches. Angel screams and then does something that I had not anticipated- jumps into the water.

Dang. Why did I have to get the girl who can breathe underwater? Before I can change my mind, I suck in a breath and follow her.

_Nudge POV_

I pause for a moment. Had I just heard something?

Another twig cracks to my left. Yep, definitely someone there. I quickly head towards them, tiptoeing as quietly as one can in a forest.

I go around a tree and there's Max. Drat. Not the one I'm looking for. Instead of the second-in-command, I've found the first.

I think a second too late, _Wait, what if Max is looking for me?_ But Max has already turned and there's no way I can outrun her.

"Hey Max, how's it going?"

"Fine," she replies. I see her looking at me calculatingly, the same way I've been looking at her- she's wondering if I'm trying to tag her out.

"You're not my person, I swear," I say quickly. "Look, I'll even show you my target card." I pull it out of my pocket, but then hesitate. "But only if you show me yours."

"Sure thing." She pulls out her card, name facing towards her.

"One," she counts.

"Two," I follow.

"_Three_," we say together, and flip our cards.

_Iggy_ is written in Gazzy's messy scrawl on Max's card, and I see her mouth the name on mine- "Fang."

"Huh," says Max. "So where does this leave us?"

I consider. "Allies, perhaps? I help you and you help me?"

Max bites on her lower lip in thought, and then grins. "Alright, Nudge. What's the plan?"

_Iggy POV_

My plan is amazing.

I sit peacefully in the shade of a large tree, hidden behind a large bush. Scattered around me in a large circle are some of my own inventions, which I like to call noise mines. When stepped on, they cause no damage, but they do cause one heck of a loud sound, sort of like a miniature version of the bomb I had set off to start the game.

Being the one who came up with this game had given me a lot of time to think of my strategies. I figured that this one would be the most effective. While the rest of the flock blundered around the forest, I would wait quietly near the border of the playing field, waiting for them to come for me.

I've got to face it, I do have quite a disadvantage. Although my sense of hearing is amazing, my sight just isn't there. Whereas the others can just look at someone and tell if they're a target or an enemy, I have to take a second to listen to the way they move before I know.

So my plan? Wait. Eventually my target will make their way here, one way or another. She'll step on a noise mine, and probably said something in response, such as, "What the heck was that?!"

From far away I don't always know people by movement, but anyone can recognize a voice. Target and I'll attack; enemy and it's escape time.

I move a bit further behind the bush, ensuring that I'm hidden. I close my eyes, and I smile, knowing that everything is all right.

_Angel POV_

Drat. He has me cornered. Well, that's probably not the right way to put it. Technically, Fang is just up in the air, circling the pond like a hawk, dripping wet from his failed attempt to catch me.

But I can't stay underwater all day. I was bored after ten minutes under, but Fang looks neutral as usual, the sun glinting silver off his wet black hair. Fang doesn't get bored.

I'm just going to have to go for a lucky break. I look around. Nothing much down here but small fish and pebbles. I swim around to the far side of the pond, careful to stay as far down as possible.

The trees are only a few yards away. If I spring quickly from the water I may take Fang by surprise. It's a gamble, but what choice do I have? The trees on this side look wide enough to fly though, which is a plus- flying is faster than running.

It isn't like I'm gaining anything by waiting. I leap from the water, dashing towards the trees. I look over my shoulder at Fang, and unfortunately he's seen me- he's diving towards me.

I pull out my wings, but they're dripping wet. I flap them hard, but all of the feathers are stuck together. I'm toast.

I can hear Fang behind me, and suddenly my tag belt is gone. I slow to a walk and then sit down. After a few moments Fang walks up. "Hello, my friend. We meet again," he jokes. I smile and he sits down next to me.

"Sorry, Angel," he says simply.

"It's alright," I reply. "It's part of the game."

I stick my hand into my pocket and grab the soggy remains of what used to be my target card. I drop the mushy mess into Fang's hand.

He stares at it as if it's some foreign object. "Angel, how am I supposed to know what this says?"  
I sigh. "Fine."

I send my next words to him mentally.

_Your next target is Gazzy._

_Max POV_

"Are you sure you know what you're doing?"

I interrupt Nudge mid-ramble. She's been working on our 'project' for over an hour now, talking non-stop as she does so.

"Of course I do! But anyways. Like I was saying, I feel it everyday; it's all the same. People everywhere act like it doesn't matter. But it does. People just need to start acknowledging how important the different uses of make-up is! Some bozos seems to think that no matter if you put it on correctly or not, anything on your face is make-up. But they're wrong! Like yesterday, I was watching this show, and a girl was using lip-liner on her _eyes._ But that's what eye-liner is for! I just don't understand what goes through these people's heads."

"Um…yeah. Nudge, that's great," I mutter. I'm not really listening. Instead I examine her creation.

It's sort of like a hideout, something a child would make for fun. Large branches create three sides and a large boulder makes the fourth. Just like we'd planned, it was pretty discreet; you would only be able to see it if you were looking for it.

"You missed a spot," I say, pointing at an obvious gap.  
"Well, sorry!" snaps Nudge. "I'm not a perfect person!"

I grab a spare branch and cover the hole. I'm not too sure about this plan, but it's not like I have any better ideas on my mind.

"How long before I get in?" I ask Nudge.

"Just a sec." She leans one more branch against the shelter of sorts. "Alright, you're good to go."

I slip in the small space we left by the boulder. It's dark and cool in our hideout and kind of fun, but also smaller than I'd like. I sit, careful not to knock over the branches.

Nudge quickly covers the area that I had used to come in.

"Okay, it's completely closed up," she announces.

"Good," I call through the branches. "Now go find Iggy and trick him into coming here. Once I hear you guys I'll jump out and tag him."

"Sounds good!" she calls. "Be back soon!"

I listen to her footsteps retreating and tap restlessly on my leg.

Five minutes later and I'm already bored. Amazing how one month of relaxation spoils you. I was craving electricity, wanting to see what was up on Fang's blog and watch some T.V. while eating microwave popcorn. I was such a loser.

Nothing left to do but wait.

_Nudge POV_

I jog lightly through the forest, keeping an eye out for anyone, but especially Iggy or Fang.

Luck is with me. In less than five minutes I hear Fang's voice.

"Alright Angel, you'd better head back. Remember what Iggy said? You're out, you go back to the cabin."

"Good luck, Fang!" comes Angel's voice, and then the sound of flapping. I look up and see Angel in the air, heading back home.

This is the perfect opportunity, but how to go about this? I can't just run out at him- he's must faster than me. I quickly formulate a plan- improvised, but hopefully effective.

I run around my hiding spot to where Fang sits on the ground. He leaps to his feet and looks ready to snap out his wings- he doesn't trust me.

"No, Fang, wait!" I cry. "This isn't about Iggy's game- Max is hurt!"

"What?" he asks, alarmed.

"Something happened!" I say, my voice nearly breaking. I should be an actress- Fang was falling for my every word. "Iggy told me I should get you right away!"

"Which way?" he asks, already in the air.

I follow him through the treetops. "This way," I say, turning by instinct back towards Max.

We speed forward, and Fang doesn't notice as I gradually fly closer to him. Suddenly I reach out and snag his belt, pulling it off.

"Success!" I yell, immensely pleased with myself.

"Huh?" asks Fang, still in rescue mode. "Nudge?"

"Sorry, Fang," I say with a shrug. I don't feel too bad- that had to be the greatest trick ever! "The good news is that nothing's wrong with Max- the bad news is I just tagged you!"

We had stopped flying forward and were now just bobbing up and down in the air, flapping to stay aloft. Fang looks at a loss for words- he mainly looks angry, but I also see a brief flash of admiration on his face.

"That was not funny, Nudge," he says finally. "But whatever. It worked. Now your person is Gazzy."

Without another word he flies off in the direction Angel had gone. I'm a little sorry for how I'd tagged him out, but then again, who cares? That was amazing!

_Gazzy POV_

I am officially lost. The annoying thing about forests is that the all look the same everywhere you look. I've got to be pretty far away from everyone else because I hadn't heard anyone all day. Plus, I'd flown up really high and hadn't been able to see the cabin. I knew that trees surround it but I should be able to see it, right?

I land. I have one last thing to do. It means that I'm probably going to lose Iggy's game, but that's better than being lost for the rest of my life.

I take off my pack and dig through it. Ah, there- the bombs. I need to set one off to call the others' attention- the noise would bring someone over here.

After a few seconds of seeing the bombs lying side by side did I realize my problem. They look identical, but I know that they aren't the same thing. One is one of Iggy's noise mines, which was what I wanted, but the other one was the real deal.

They look the same to me, but that was because of the creator. Iggy would be able to tell them apart by touch- I lift them, one in each hand, and one is slightly heavier. Iggy must have forgotten I would be using them when he made them. Great. He had said that the bomb was only to be used in very clear areas when it was really needed. Well, this area is sort of clear, kind of, and I definitely need something.

I swallow hard. I'm scared and alone, and besides, I'll probably choose the noise mine anyways. No need to worry.

I pick the slightly lighter one and set it off, plugging my ears and running.

_Max POV_

"I miss the sound of your voice," I say to Fang. He looks back at me but says nothing. "No, really. I haven't talked to you all days…"

Someone is making noises. Yelling. And something is shaking me.

"Max! Do you hear me? I'm talking to you! Max! Wake up!"

I open my eyes and look around. Fang is beside me, shaking my arm.

"Stop, Fang, I'm awake! What wrong with- hey! You killed our hideout!"

All of our hard work lies scattered across the forest floor. Fang had apparently broken in to wake me up.

"Max, come on, we've got to go!" Fang's eyes are frantic, which is odd for him.

"What's up?" I ask seriously, standing up and brushing dirt off my pants.

"Gazzy set off a bomb and it caught some trees on fire. It's spreading as we speak, but I don't know where Iggy is. Everyone else is safe and back at the cabin, but I can't find him!"

Distress breaks through in Fang's voice. He spreads his wings. "Come on!"

"Hold on," I say, my tired brain beginning to work. "This sounds just a touch too convenient. Are you sure this isn't just some trick to help someone tag me out?"

Fang's jaw drops. Never knew he was such a good actor. "Max, we have to go _now!_ This isn't about some stupid game!"

"I will not make the same mistakes you did," I say, setting my jaw. "That's right. Nudge told me about how she tricked you. Cute that she got you so worried about me, but do you seriously think I'm going to fall for the same trick?"

"Are you _insane_?!" roars Fang, and now I'm a bit scared. "How about this- I'm out, disqualified, so I should be at the cabin right now, not out here."

"You're…cheating?" I'm getting unsure.

"Max, Iggy could be trapped in the fire right now and you're here pretending that I'm the boy who cried wolf. If you're not coming I'm going to have to save him on my own!"

I'm worried now, and I follow him into the air. Fang glances at me and then nods grimly at a thick cloud of smoke in the sky. I think that I see a glimpse of red.

"Believe me now?" he asks, and we head at top speed for the flames.

_Iggy POV_

I waited until it was too late.

Of course I smelled the fire, but I tried to convince myself that it was some distant forest fire, nothing to worry about.

I never knew that wind could move a fire so quickly. By the time I had begun to run, I had known I was trapped.

I race forward, feeling the heat behind me, not to mention on both sides. I had already tried flying, but this was one situation where being blind could be deadly. I had launched myself up and forward, away from the flames, but a sudden gust of wind had changed the fire's direction, bringing it down on top of me. I didn't see it coming so I hadn't escaped but luckily it had only singed my hair and burned a small spot on my wing. This brought me to one solid fact: one more failed attempt could mean game over.

I race again, coughing in the smoke, hearing and feeling my way as the fire gets more and more out of control. The wind makes it wild, causing flames to leap at me where there had been no danger before.

I am convinced that I am going to become a barbecued bird kid when I hear them.

"Iggy!" comes Max's voice over the crackling of the flames, in front of me and a bit to the left. I race towards the sound, stumbling over an unexpected rock.

"I see him!" yells Fang's voice, closer this time. Suddenly they're there with me. Max grabs my left hand and Fang my right.

"Three steps to the left and straight up!" calls Max and I nod. We run and then jump, our wings nearly colliding, but I don't let go of their hands. We fly forward, Max or Fang pulling our awkward line of escaping bird kids in flame-free directions.

The air gradually gets clearer and the scorching heat disappears as we outrun the flames. Once we're a safe distance away we land, collapsing on the ground.

I cough. "Thanks," is all I manage to say, but I know that they get it.

"Geez, Fang," mutters Max. "If you hadn't convinced me you weren't lying…"

"Huh?" I ask.

Fang sighs wearily. "Max seemed to think that my story of Gazzy's bomb was some crazy part of your game, Ig."

"Gazzy's bomb is what caused it?" I groan. No more bombs for the youngster for quite a while.

"Yeah." Max sounds sheepish. "I just hate to think- if I hadn't believed you…"

"You can always trust me," says Fang, and I hear him reach out his hand to Max.

"Ew! Please!" I beg. "No gross affectionate stuff while I'm around!"

They laugh.

"We'd better get moving," says Fang. "The fire's still coming and we've got to get the others."

We take off, heading for the cabin. And although my life was just recently in danger, the only thing going through my head is this thought:

I guess that ends my game.


End file.
